Chapter 4 Warlord
People often say that women in love are blind.
This description couldn't be more appropriate for the current Empress.
Perhaps the Celestial Dragons truly are her Achilles' heel, causing her to fall so easily.
When Leo declared that he aimed to overturn the Celestial Dragons, disrupt their ruling system, and challenge the entire World Government, his impact was even more potent than when Luffy had punched a Celestial Dragon. This was especially true for Hancock, who, on the surface, appeared tough but was emotionally vulnerable when it came to the Celestial Dragons, given her past as a slave.
Leo, unlike Luffy, was powerless and couldn't even defeat an ordinary Celestial Dragon guard, let alone take revenge on them. Escaping from the Celestial Dragons' grasp had already been a stroke of luck for him. Now, he needed to enhance his abilities, and it seemed like the right thing to do.
Although Leo had once described the world's composition and high-level combat capabilities, this didn't hinder him from aspiring to become a formidable fighter. Despite his age of twenty-six, which was similar to Hancock's and even a bit older than Hancock's sister Sandersonia, Leo's strength was undoubtedly at the bottom rung of the pirate world. Even Nami was likely stronger than him.
This wasn't his fault; it was simply due to his body, which had belonged to an ordinary person from a previous life in the Eastern Blue. His body hadn't undergone much training, and coming to the pirate world had made him younger by twenty years. While his six-year-old body had enjoyed a comfortable life with the Celestial Dragons, it hadn't endured much hardship. Despite that, he hadn't grown stronger.
Ordinary people could easily surpass his physique.
After Belladonna had diagnosed him, Leo had no choice but to accept this conclusion.
Under these circumstances, he wasn't sure if he could develop Haki or consume a Devil Fruit. This was the source of his hesitation.
So, it was best to start by training his Haki.
On a tree trunk, Boa Hancock sat with her sisters, and the Empress herself wasn't dealing with state affairs. Instead, they observed Gloriosa as she taught Leo, as if they were watching a show.
There were very few spectators here because high walls kept the wild animals at bay and prevented the Amazon warriors from coming out. As such, only a few people were present. Boa Gloriosa's teaching style was milder than the instructors in the Amazon Lily Kingdom.
As Gloriosa slowly explained, Leo's understanding of the Amazon Lily Kingdom's composition became more intuitive.
Not everyone in the Amazon Lily Kingdom could learn Haki. Initially, they learned the basics, distinguishing which type of Haki was more suitable for them, whether it was Armament or Observation Haki. Those with slender bodies were more suited to Observation Haki, such as Sandersonia, who had strong Observation Haki. Those with robust physiques were better suited to Armament Haki, like Marigold, whose Armament Haki was particularly formidable.
After learning one type of Haki, they continued to learn the other they hadn't mastered. They only became Guardians after mastering both types and applying them proficiently to archery.
After a few years as Guardians, they sailed with the Empress, plundering the seas. This way, the Amazon warriors grew generation by generation, becoming incredibly powerful.
Each Amazon warrior on the ship had mastered Haki, and combined with their unique snake bows, they could shoot quickly and from a great distance, making their attacks extremely potent, rivaling cannon fire. Even a warship might not be able to take them down, and it would likely require at least an Admiral, with the support of several Vice Admirals, to capture the Kuja Pirates.
This was undoubtedly a pivotal force.
Haki was the only reason that could change their disadvantage in numbers.
So, no matter what, Leo had to master Haki.
These were the only two paths for him to survive in this world.
Gloriosa was an experienced veteran and the one who had brought the three sisters back to the Island from the Sabaody Archipelago. It was likely that the sisters had learned Haki from her.
Like Rayleigh, she certainly had some tricks for using Haki. With Leo's intelligence, he understood her explanation the first time. However, understanding and actually manifesting Haki were two different things. Haki was a mysterious power, almost as enigmatic as internal energy, Qi, and True Martial Power.
Rayleigh's training method for Luffy had been simple: "Close your eyes and train until you drop."
Leo could understand the basic concept, comparing it to his experience playing PUBG. When he had a good feel for the game, he could easily get ten kills in a single match, even in the high-ranked 5000-point tier. But when his feel was off, he could barely secure a single kill.
Professional players trained tirelessly for years to maintain that feeling and keep it consistent until they retired. If Leo considered that feeling as equivalent to Haki, it made sense.
Understanding the basics was one thing; achieving that feeling was another. Maintaining and applying that feeling with ease was yet another challenge.
Although he grasped the fundamentals, he knew he had a long road ahead. After ten days of taking care of his body and consuming lots of Sea King meat-filled pancakes, he had made no progress whatsoever.
He understood that those with strong physiques excelled in Armament Haki, so he, with his weak and frail body, had to start with Observation Haki. However, Observation Haki was a talent-dependent Haki, much more enigmatic than Armament Haki. Strong individuals like Katakuri could foresee events seconds into the future, hear the voices of Sea Kings, and even converse with giant Sea Kings. Weaker individuals like Leo couldn't even enter the door to this form of Observation Haki.
Observation Haki was even more talent-dependent and mysterious than Armament Haki.
He couldn't help but feel a bit frustrated at times, but his relationship with the Amazon warriors in the city improved day by day.
After his daily training, he would visit Lian's tavern to eat and drink, narrating his adapted version of "One Thousand and One Nights" to them.
The Amazon girls naturally grew fonder of this story which seemed never-ending.
However, on the eleventh day, a piece of news made him pause his training and gathered all the Amazon warriors.
It was unsurprising.
Outside the main gate of Amazon Lily Island, a warship had arrived, displaying its might.
The Marines had finally arrived!
…
The entire Nine Snakes Island was in chaos, with all the Amazon warriors on high alert. Women, whether they had Haki or not, grabbed their weapons. Their snake bows were tensed, and they carried short swords or long knives, armed with bows and arrows, surging towards the city walls.
Although there was chaos among them, the high-ranking members of the Kuja Pirates remained calm. After all, Leo had brought them the intelligence, emphasizing it repeatedly over the past ten days. Even a fool should have been mentally prepared by now.
As a woman with Conqueror's Haki, Hancock didn't hesitate to open the gates of Amazon Lily. The The Kuja Pirates' battleship, slowly pulled by two poisonous Sea King snakes, emerged from the island. The Ship resembled a floating palace.
"It's so audacious to appear suddenly at their doorstep, and yet they don't seem flustered at all... What a remarkable display of courage," commented a frail, elderly woman on the Marine warship's deck, wearing a Marine coat and holding it tightly to her chest.
"Is that... Tsuru?" Standing behind the Empress in a cloak and adjusting his telescope to the maximum distance, Leo observed the elder figure on the enemy warship's deck. Although he didn't recognize her, the fact that she was a high-ranking elderly female Marine officer narrowed it down to Tsuru.
Tsuru was the tactician he needed to pursue, but not at this moment.
"Tsuru, Garp, and Sengoku are the key pillars of the Marines. Their Iron Triangle is the reason why the World Government can maintain its undefeated status when facing the Rocks Pirates, Pirate King Roger, and the Whitebeard Pirates,"
The three of them possess formidable strength and keen intelligence. While Garp may not always appear dependable in his everyday demeanor, in truth, he is often the most clear-headed among the trio when it comes to overall strategy. Indeed, despite Buddha being hailed as a wise tactician during the Warring States Period, in reality, all three of them exhibit remarkable intellect, and many of their strategies are of their own devising."
"Of course, they may not always have a say at the highest echelons of the World Government, but their significance within the military ranks remains undeniable. When compared to the three admirals in the current era, they stand as the true pillars of the armed forces." he analyzed quietly, standing among the Kuja Pirates, his cloak billowing. He used binoculars to scrutinize the enemy sailors on the deck.
"Almost half of them are female soldiers. It seems they're here to resist your powers from the Love-Love Fruit." He noticed two very familiar figures: a long-legged woman with black hair carrying a katana this is the future Vice Admiral, Gion, as well as a woman in a wine-red suit with pink hair and sunglasses, Hina. Although the powers of Hina's Cage-Cage Fruit were formidable, she probably hadn't advanced very high in rank, as she was still Smoker's contemporary.
However, the fact that Tsuru had brought them here meant she trusted their abilities. After all, in case the Empress was foolish enough not to heed the World Government's warning signs, they might have to engage in combat. Ordinary male Marines would likely be sacrificed regardless of the Empress's Devil Fruit abilities, while female soldiers had a better chance of survival.
Gion and Hina's Devil Fruit powers were essential to ensure the survival of the other soldiers during the Kuja Pirates' attack.
Vice Admiral Tsuru was indeed intelligent and had considered everything, but why was there only one warship?
"It seems that the government has just acquired a Sea Prism Stone warship and couldn't wait to come here to demonstrate, intimidate, and recruit you," he analyzed in a low voice, but the nearby female officers of the Kuja Pirates heard it clearly.
Hancock's heart stirred. If they could seize this warship here, could they delay the government's entry into the Calm Belt and even gain access to the Navy's Calm Belt crossing technology? As for the Marines, they could simply be eliminated. She didn't care much about their lives.
However, Gloriosa was indeed an old fox. She quickly saw through Hancock's thoughts.
"Your Majesty, don't overthink this. Stick to the plan," she reminded in a low but firm voice.
But Hancock still turned her head to look at Leo, and this move chilled Gloriosa's heart. Indeed, women often didn't listen to others when they had power. In just a few days, she had stopped listening to her advice and was now turning to Leo for his opinion.
However, Leo's opinion aligned with hers. He whispered, "Accept it directly. We can propose some demands that the Marines can't accept, act arrogantly, bully them, and it would be best to petrify them all before negotiating with Tsuru."
Hancock understood the situation. Evidently, this was about showing strength before negotiating, ensuring that the other side would have to agree to even more extreme conditions.
She wasn't bragging; she had never been afraid of anyone when it came to being domineering.
"Sandersonia, Marigold, both of you, come with me!" The Empress imperiously commanded her two sisters.
"Yes, sister," Sandersonia and Marigold deeply respected the Empress. She had always protected them, whether when they were slaves under the Celestial Dragons or after they escaped. They had grown accustomed to her temper by now.
Marigold hissed twice, and one of the sea snakes turned its head on the deck, lowering it. It then pulled the three of them up. Standing on the enormous sea snake's head, Leo finally realized just how colossal these creatures were. Their bodies likely exceeded forty meters, extending across the entire length of the ship's keel. Even the height above the water's surface was over ten meters, with the massive heads providing enough space for the 1.9-meter-tall Empress, the 4.5-meter-tall Sandersonia, and the 4.3-meter-tall Marigold. With their natural poison and size, these sea snakes could easily traverse even the Calm Belts, known for their numerous giant Sea Kings.
These sea snakes could indeed be considered strategic weapons for Amazon Lily.
It appears that anyone who attains the status of a Warlord is a formidable individual.
Leo thought to himself, never taking his eyes off the binoculars, which were concealed within his cloak, as he observed the negotiations between the two sides.
The Empress's entrance was stunning, captivating most of the people on the opposing side. However, for the powers of the Love-Love Fruit, there was only one outcome for those who were captivated...
They would all turn into stone!
…
Hancock fully implemented what Leo had said before: "First, show them who's boss." Without hesitation, she turned the majority of the Marines into stone statues. Then, with an arrogant air, she pointed at them and asked, "So, you Marines have invaded the territorial waters of our Amazon Lily Kingdom. Are you here to wage war against Amazon Lily?"
Her words were domineering, showing no courtesy. She had turned ninety percent of the soldiers into stone statues right away. Clearly, if Vice Admiral Tsuru didn't provide a satisfactory response, Tsuru, Gion, and Hina would have to face the entire Kuja Pirates on their own.
A miscalculation. Vice Admiral Tsuru maintained a calm expression on her face, but she felt regret deep inside. They knew too little about the Empress. Indeed, they had immediately provoked her hostility upon arrival. They didn't expect her power to work on women as well. Despite bringing quite a few female Marines, they couldn't escape being petrified.
This narrowed the gap between men and women. They couldn't believe that the former slave had gained such power over the years. Combined with her ability to traverse the Calm Belt, her presence was undoubtedly a significant threat to Impel Down.
If they couldn't recruit her here, they would have to go all out to eliminate the Kuja Pirates.
However, thinking about the just-begun construction process of the Sea Stone battleships and the stretched-thin Marine forces, Vice Admiral Tsuru had to swallow her anger. She raised her hand to stop Gion and Hina from rushing forward and, with a calm smile on her face, said, "How could that be? We came here today to deliver some good news."
She held out a newspaper casually, and without even lifting her chest, the Empress's sister, Sandersonia, reached out and caught the newspaper.
With her towering five-meter-tall body, holding the newspaper was like holding a piece of cloth. On the front page, there was a unique headline:
"World Government Decides to Issue Seven Legal Plundering Permits"
"Warlord System Confirmed!"
"List of Seven Warlords Confirmed, Four Members!"
"Great Pirate Captain Gecko Moria Accepts the Position of Warlord!"
"Sun Pirates Captain 'Fish-Man Karate Expert' Jinbei Accepts the Position of Warlord!"
"Logia Fruit Great Pirate 'Sand Crocodile' Crocodile Accepts the Position of Warlord!"
It could be said that the World Government was being very sincere this time. They had already finalized the addition of four individuals before dealing with Hancock, making the matter more real.
The credibility of the World Government was not as bad as it would be in the future, where they would dare to spread false information about Doflamingo being removed from the Warlords. The current World Economic Times represented absolute authority, and the news it published was considered factual.
After finalizing these four individuals who were eager to become Warlords, they came to find the other three: "Empress" Hancock, "Hawk-Eye" Mihawk, and "Tyrant" Bartholomew Kuma.
These three individuals were clearly more difficult to deal with than the previous four, but their roles were unquestionable.
Mihawk, the Hawk-Eye, could never become an enemy, even if he couldn't become a friend. As the world's greatest swordsman, if he weren't a lone wolf, he could easily establish a power that was no less than that of the Four Emperors.
As for "Tyrant" Bartholomew Kuma, his background was impeccable. If it were during the "World Draft" period, he would likely have easily risen to become one of the Three Admirals. However, there were currently no vacancies for an admiral, which was why they had assigned him to the position of a Warlord. If the World Government knew that Bartholomew Kuma was a member of the Revolutionary Army, it would be impossible to let him come into contact with Vegapunk.
As for the importance of Amazon Lily Island's geographical location, it doesn't need to be reiterated. In any case, these three individuals are even more reassuring to the World Government than the previous four.
Of course, the premise is that the Empress accepts the World Government's appointment.
"So, what's in it for us in this matter?" The Empress had already understood after reading the newspaper, her mind was clear.
Leo's background was beyond doubt, and all his prophecies had come true. Now it was time to listen to him, join the Warlords, and then ask the World Government for benefits.
"The Warlords have certain privileges and the right to legally plunder. As long as you don't touch the Celestial Dragons' celestial gold and those countries that haven't joined the World Government, and even the merchant ships that have joined the World Government, you can plunder at will, and we won't pursue it." Tsuru had no choice but to utter these words, and deep inside, she felt a great humiliation. If it weren't for the powers of the Love-Love Fruit, she wouldn't even be here negotiating with her. As a strategic genius, she knew the reality and had to bow to it, but as a Marine, saying such words made her feel deeply ashamed. But she had no choice.
Hina and Gion had a hint of anger on their faces, but as Lieutenant Colonels, they had no right to interfere with the current policies of the World Government.
In fact, even if they became Admirals, there were still few policies they could interfere with. Fujitora's attempt to abolish the Warlord system had only been possible because of Doflamingo's defeat and the exposure of various secrets. If not, Fujitora, who had just been promoted to the position of Admiral due to the World Draft, wouldn't have dared to oppose the system so openly, and Sakazuki was too rigid... and so on. All these reasons combined made it not so easy to abolish the Warlord system.
The Admirals might be strong, but military personnel couldn't meddle in politics!
"In that case, your Navy cannot appear within five kilometers of Amazon Lily." The Empress, who had already decided to join the Warlords, made an outrageous demand. Originally, the Navy couldn't approach within three kilometers.
But Tsuru readily agreed. Within the Calm Belt, whether it was three or five kilometers, it had no meaning. The real key to this matter was the Sea Stone battleships.
She just wanted to bring these Navy personnel back alive now, rather than haggling with the Empress.
"If we rescue the slaves of the Celestial Dragons, you are also not allowed to pursue us."
After a few seconds of consideration, Tsuru felt that it was much more profitable and simpler to appease the Celestial Dragons than to use countless lives to smooth things over on Amazon Lily. So she agreed to this as well.
"Lastly, I don't have to follow the World Government's orders and directives."
This was actually like taking off one's pants and farting. Because later on, when the World Government gave orders to the Warlords, there was no hesitation at all. But now Tsuru could easily agree. After all, in the future, when the Navy had grown stronger, with individuals like the Sengoku, Garp, and the three Natural Devil Fruit users as Admirals, and a large group of potential Vice Admirals, how could they be compared to the current strength?
As for when to tear up the agreement after their strength increased, it depended on the Navy's mood.
In the end, even if the Navy brought the Sea Stone battleships in, the Empress would still be in a weaker position. Just as she had always used a tough attitude to cover her weakness, she was still very skilled at using these tactics.
So... congratulations to the Navy for once again adding a great pirate to their ranks!
Of course, Leo had achieved all of his goals as well.
…
Comrades share common goals.
In reality, Hancock didn't have much room for negotiation. The conditions of the Warlords were set in stone. Even though the World Government wouldn't hold them accountable for their past and future crimes, the Kuja Pirates weren't as troublesome as individuals like the "Heavenly Demon" Doflamingo and Crocodile when it came to exploiting their Warlord status. Their applications of the Warlord identity were what truly troubled the World Government. However, no matter how formidable the Kuja Pirates were, their ability to pose a threat was limited.
Especially after joining, the security of Impel Down and Mariejois, the Holy Land, was guaranteed. The external influence of the Kuja Pirates hadn't developed to a terrifying extent.
Because the system of the Kuja Pirates had already determined that the strength of this pirate crew was decided by the Amazon Lily Kingdom, and the population of the Amazon Lily Kingdom was destined to prevent the Kuja Pirates from reaching the top.
And Leo had achieved his goals.
Although he had been mingling in the crowd all along, in reality, he was a bit afraid that Granny Tsuru, Hina, and Gion, who had Observation Haki, would discover him as an anomaly within the Kuja Pirates.
Hancock's performance was excellent; she immediately subdued most of the people who came up, leaving Granny Tsuru, Hina, and Gion with no way to use Observation Haki to observe the Kuja Pirates. Naturally, Leo was safe.
When Hancock lifted the effects of the Love-Love Fruit, the group of Marines seemed frozen in time, completely unaware that a considerable amount of time had passed.
"Indeed, abilities like the Time-Time Fruit, the Back-Back Fruit, and the Love-Love Fruit seem to possess the power to manipulate the flow of time. Although this kind of time stagnation is undesirable, when used skillfully, it can produce astonishing effects."
As for the specific effects, Leo hadn't really thought about it carefully. However, abilities like the Time-Time Fruit could allow someone to travel to the future, and with the Love-Love Fruit, as long as a person was petrified and unsealed before they died, that person could probably pass through several decades in an instant...
This was completely against the laws of physics. Perhaps this was the unique world rule of the One Piece world.
He thought this to himself while the Amazonian warriors had already begun cheering.
For them, this was an unquestionable victory. The enemy didn't know why they had come to Amazon Lily, nor did they understand why they had said they would bestow the title of Warlord upon Empress Hancock. Still, the Amazonian warriors had gained the right to roam the seas without being hunted by the Navy.
This battle was their victory.
"But this is only a tactical victory; strategically, the Navy won."
"What strategy? What tactics?" Ran was more familiar with Leo since he had been awake, so while they were eating, she continued to ask Leo about what he had said.
Originally, Hancock wanted him to dine in her private chamber, but Leo refused this privilege, saying strange things like "coming from the masses and returning to the masses." Instead, he mingled in the ordinary dining hall of the Amazonian warriors, even persuading the Empress to eat there as well.
But he was rejected by Hancock.
In the end, she was just someone who was moved by Leo's goals. Just like the revolutionary party members who wanted to overthrow the monarchy, although their goals were the same, once they reached this goal, their paths would diverge.
This goal was just a crossroads, and when they reached this crossroads, they would each go their separate ways.
And in this journey, Leo was confident that he could gradually make her truly his...comrade.
But for now, she still had a bit of a royal demeanor and some reservations. However, in Leo's eyes, this kind of royal authority wasn't much different from that of a tribal chieftain.
The entire Amazon Island has a population of around 5,000 people at most, with only about 2,000 warriors. While they are strong, they can't withstand the World Government's might. So, you can't really call it a "kingdom," and even the title of female tribal chief is stretching it.
After getting to know these Amazonian warriors, Leo started discussing his ideas with them from time to time. He swallowed a mouthful of food and said, "Tactics are when you encounter a pirate crew at sea and engage in battle with them. That's tactics. Winning against them means tactics have succeeded."
This dining hall is exclusively for the Kuja Pirates' officers and the guardians of the country. Apart from them, there are no other Amazonian warriors present. Leo still attracted quite a bit of attention here, just as much as outside, but the number of people was significantly fewer, and the quality was higher, so he saved on filtering costs.
Others turned to listen to Leo's profound ideas. One of the Amazonian guardians, a tall and well-proportioned woman named Fialandora, who stood at around three meters tall, asked with the curiosity of a child, "So what is strategy?"
"Strategy is when the Navy has already achieved its goal: they've enlisted the Kuja Pirates. The Kuja Pirates won't attack the Navy and cause trouble anymore, and the Navy has saved a lot of military strength that can be used for other purposes. After they bring the Marine seastone warships into Amazon Lily, they've also achieved the goal of intimidating Amazon Lily. In the future, more pirates will be left behind to defend the base on Amazon Lily, rather than taking all the haughty ones away."
"Oh, then what should we do?" Not everyone in this world is a strategist, and many of them didn't even know what strategy was. They had seen Empress Hancock drive away the Navy earlier, establishing her reputation, but with Leo's explanation, they realized that there was only one path before them: the Navy would become stronger and stronger, and Amazon Lily would become more and more exhausted due to dividing their forces.
They wouldn't dare to sail far away to plunder, fearing their home base might be attacked.
In essence, after just showing themselves, the Marine seastone warships had already restricted the kuja Pirates to stay near their stronghold.
As for the strategic weapon of the Marine seastone warship and its effects, Leo didn't go into details with them. However, it was quite apparent that his explanation had shocked them.
Everyone wrinkled their brows, contemplating how to resolve this situation.
But some people had simpler thoughts. Most of the guardians hadn't ventured out to see the Grand Line, and the only capable individuals might be the top brass of the Kuja Pirates and Leo.
So, among them, the captain of the guardian squad, a glamorous woman with phoenix eyes and fiery red lips named Kikyo, furrowed her brows and asked, "So, Leo, how should we solve this problem?"
(Chapter End)